7155. 'And the officers of the children of Israel saw themselves to be in evil' means being close to damnation. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as discerning, dealt with in 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400; from the meaning of 'the officers' as those in the nearest position to receive molestations and pass them on, dealt with in 7111, 7136; and from the meaning of 'evil' as damnation, for regarded in itself evil is hell, 6279, thus damnation. The reason why 'being in evil' means being close to damnation is that those who were in the nearest position to receive the molestations and pass them on suffered harm, meant by their being beaten by the taskmasters, 7136, and that the molestation of falsities that were constantly introduced brought them even to the point of despair, 7147. So it is that 'they saw themselves to be in evil' means their discernment that they were close to damnation. For because those who are at the point of despair suppose that they can no longer withstand the attacks made on them, they think that they cannot do anything else but surrender like prisoners to falsities. This is what the state of despair is like; yet in that state they begin to be lifted out of it and be led so to speak from thick darkness into light.

4403. THE GRAND MAN AND CORRESPONDENCE - continued

IN THIS SECTION CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EYE AND WITH LIGHT

I have also been allowed to become aware of and get to know the character of spirits and which province of the body they belonged to from their position and place in relation to myself, and also from the level they were on, and from how far away they were on that level. Those I saw close to me were for the most part the subordinates of whole communities, for communities send spirits from themselves to other spirits, and through these they perceive others' thoughts and affections, and in this manner communicate with others. But those subordinates so-called, or emissary spirits, will in the Lord's Divine mercy be taken as a separate subject. Concerning them I have made the following observations. Those to be seen over and close to my head are ones who teach and also readily allow themselves to be taught. Those beneath the back of my head are ones who act quietly and with circumspection, and those just away from my back act in a similar yet differing manner to these. Those close to my chest or breast are ones who are moved by charity; those close to the loins ones moved by conjugial love; those close to the feet ones who are natural; and those close to the soles of the feet are more inferior members of this last kind. But those close to my face vary in disposition, that variation being determined by their correspondence with the sensory organs located there. Those close to the nostrils, for example, excel in perception; those close to the ears are the obedient; those close to the eyes are the intelligent and wise; and so on.